OBJECTIVE To review the physiological function of sodium hyaluronate in joints and its clinical applications. METHODS Many literatures were reviewed and analysed on therapeutic mechanism and the application foreground of sodium hyaluronate. RESULTS Extrinsic sodium hyaluronate plays an important role in improving synovial fluid and protecting cartilages as well as suppressing inflammation, so it is used in the treatment of joint diseases such as knee osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or temporomandibular osteoarthritis. CONCLUSION Sodium hyaluronate possesses a good applied prospect in joint diseases.
Objective To explore the relationship of the limited resource of the autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in articularcavity to the treatment results of full-thickness articular cartilage defect, and to investigate whether the extrogenous sodium hyaluronate(SH) promotes the migration of MSCs cultured in vitro tothe articular defect in vivo. Methods Sixty-six Japan rabbits were made the model of the full-thickness articular cartilage defect (5 mm width and 4 mm depth).The autologous MSCs were extracted from the rabbit femur, cultured in vitro, labeledby Brdu, and injected into the injured articular cavity with or without SH. Theexperiment was divided into 4 groups; group A (MSCs and SH, n=15); group B (MSCs, n=15); group C (SH, n=18); and group D (non-treatment, n=18). The morphologic observation was made by HE staining, Mallory staining and immunohistochemical staining after 5 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks of operation. Results There were significant differences in the thickness of repairing tissue between group A and group B(Plt;0.01); but there were no significant differences between group A and group C, and between group B and group D(P＞0.05). Thehistological observation showed that the main repairing tissue was fibrocartilage in group A and fiber tissue in group B. Conclusion MSCs cultured in vitro and injected into the articular cavity can not improve the treatment results of the articular cartilage defect. Extrogenous SH has effect on repairing cartilage defect. The extrogenous SH has no effect on the chemotaxis of the MSCs, and on the collection of MSCs into the joint defect.
OBJECTIVE To observe the effects of sodium hyaluronate on nerve root adhesion after operation of lumbar disc protrusion (LDP). METHODS From April 1996 to June 2001, 152 cases with LDP were performed the removal of nucleus pulposus under endoscope. After operation, 2 ml of sodium hyaluronate were injected. The clinical results were evaluated by clinical symptom, straight leg raising test, patient’s satisfaction degree and back pain. RESULTS All the patients were followed for 1 month to 3 years. The average angle of straight leg raising test increased from 26 degree preoperatively to 62 degree postoperatively. The patient’s pain were markedly relieved. Patient’s satisfactory degree were 86.8%. CONCLUSION The injection of sodium hyaluronate after operation of LDP has effect on preventing postoperative nerve root adhesion.
Objective To determine the effectiveness of sodium hyaluronate (SHA) in preventing intraperitoneal (IP) adhesion. Methods Thirty-eight rats were randomly divided into A,B,C groups, normal saline, 6% Dextran-40 or SHA were applied on the present serosal injury respectively, during operation. Biopsy was taken on the 14th postoperative day.Results There were statistically significant differences in the extent of adhesion among three groups (Ｐ＜0.01). Mild inflammatory changes and less fibrous proliferation were found in group C by microscopy and decreased production of collagen (by fibroblast) and active mesothelial cells proliferation were observed in group C under electron microscope. Conclusion SHA appeares to reduce the extent of postoperative IP adhesion, which is more satisfactory than Dextran-40.
OBJECTIVE To assess the treatment effect of sodium hyaluronate (HA) on experimental temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis of rabbits in comparison with prednisolone (PS). METHODS The upper compartments of both TMJs of 12 Japanese White Ear Rabbits were injected with 0.2 ml of 1.6% papain, 3 days after the right TMJs were injected again with same amount of papain to induce osteoarthritis with different severity levels. Except 1 rabbit was died accidentally. After one week from final injection of papain, the upper compartments of both TMJs of 6 rabbits were injected with HA 1.3 mg, 5 rabbits with PS 1.6 mg weekly for 4 times. At 3, 5 and 7 weeks after the final injection, the rabbits were sacrificed and the TMJs were pathologically examined. RESULTS The TMJs receiving PS showed predominant structural disorganization, and the right TMJs had much severe pathology. The manifestations were fibrillation, thinner or flaking of the articular cartilage of the temporal part of the joint, and the articular surface was covered with fibrous tissue. Whereas the TMJs receiving HA injections demonstrated limited changes of cartilage, less fibrillation, only local loss of cartilage on outside layer of the surface. In vicinity of the defect area, cluster of the chondrocytes appeared. Pathological scores of the TMJs receiving HA were significantly less than those of the TMJs revieving PS. CONCLUSION The results suggest that hyaluronate have effect of cartilaginous reparation and protection for the osteoarthritis of rabbit. While prednisolone has no help or worsened for articular cartilage reparation.
OBJECTIVE To investigate the therapeutic effect of percutaneous lumbar discectomy (PLD) combined with sodium hyaluronate (SH) injection in the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. METHODS Forty-eight patients suffered from lumbar disc herniation were divided into two groups and treated by PLD combined with SH injection into epidural cavity (treatment group) or single PLD (control group) respectively. All patients were followed up for 24 months. The therapeutic effects in both groups were assessed and compared according to Macnab’s criterion. RESULTS The patients in the treatment group got much more significant improvement than those in the control group, with shorter therapeutic course and more safety. CONCLUSION PLD combined with SH injection into epidural cavity is more effective and safety in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation than of pure PLD.
Objective To investigate whether the implanted myoblasts with the soluble carriers can improve the repairing efficiency for theseverelycryodamaged tibialis anterior muscles. Methods The skeletal myoblasts were isolated from the newborn SD rats by the use of the enzyme digestion. They were purified and serially subcultivated; the subcultivated myoblasts of the 3rd generation were marked with BrdU. The severelycryodamaged tibialis anterior muscle models were established from 84 SD rats aged 5 months. They were randomly divided into 4 groups, including Group A1 (the implanted myoblasts with the carriersF12 containing 0.1% sodium hyaluronate), Group A2 (the implanted myoblasts, with the carriersF12 that did not contain 0.1% sodiumhyaluronate), Group B1 (the implanted carrier solution containing 0.1% sodium hyaluronate, but with no myoblasts), and Group B2 (with no carrier solution or myoblasts). Six rats were killed at the following time points: at 2, 5 and 9 days,and 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after operation; the immunohistochemical and the Mallory staining studies were performed for an evaluation on the repairing efficiencyfor the severelycryodamaged tibialis anterior muscles. By the imaging analysis, the number of the survived cells in each group was compared at 2 days, and the area ratio of the collagen fiber in each group was also compared at 8 weeks. Results The BrdU immunohistochemical staining showed that the number of the remaining implanted cells was significantly greater in Groups A1 than in Group A2, the migrating area of the myoblasts was greater, the distribution of the cells was more uniform, the cell differentiating potential was undestroyed, the repairing efficiency for the severelycryodamaged tibialis anterior muscles was significantly improved. There was no bluestained nucleus at each time point in Group B. The Mallory staining showed that the fibrous degeneration inthe tissue repairing process was significantly inhibited in Groups A1, A2 and B1; the inhibition was most obvious in Group A1, and next in Group A2. The imaging analysis indicated that at 2 days after operation, the number of the survived cells was significantly-greater in Group A1 than in Group A2 (Plt;0.05). At 8 weeks after operation, the collagen fiber was the least in Group A1, less in Group A2, more in Group B1,and the most in Group B2 (Plt;0.05). Conclusion The implanted myoblasts can significantly improve the repairing efficiency for the severelycryodamaged muscle tissues, and the implanted carrier solution containing 0.1% sodium hyaluronate can improve the implanting efficiency for the myoblasts.
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate in post-operation treatment of the knee. METHODS From January 1998 to February 2001, 4 ml of sodium hyaluronate injection was injected into the knee joint of the 134 cases at the end of arthroscope operation, or the 91 cases undergoing open operation of the knee at the time when the drain tube was removed (treatment group). Five days after operation, the hydrarthrosis was removed and 2 ml of sodium hyaluronate was injected into the knee joint. According to the patient’s condition, injection of sodium hyaluronate was performed once a week for several weeks. Clinical evaluation was made by evaluating pain visual analog scale (VAS) and painless range of movement (ROM) of the joint at every definite point of time. The 85 patients in control group used nothing at the same time. RESULTS The VAS score of patients in the treatment group was significant lower than that of the control group. The period to the maximal painless ROM of the joint was 6 days in the treatment group after open operation, while 9 days in the control group. CONCLUSION Sodium hyaluronate appears effective in relieving post-operation pain of the knee joint.
OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of sodium hyaluronate (HA) for degenerative disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). METHODS A prospective randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted. The experimental group received injections in the upper compartments of the involved TMJs with 1% HA 6 mg, whereas the control group received prednisolone (PS) 12.5 mg once a week. Three to four injections were as one course. Before and one week after the treatment courses, clinical symptoms, amount of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and total protein of synovial fluid were measured and compared. RESULTS Sixty-seven patients were included and 4 out of them were dropped out. There were 12 males and 51 females, among them, 14 cases with synovitis, 21 with anterior disc displacement without reduction and 28 with osteoarthritis of the TMJ. Thirty-five patients allocated in HA group and 28 in PS group. Both drugs could relieve the clinical symptoms of TMJ degenerative disorders. In HA group, marked improvement rate was 51.43% and failure rate was 2.86%, whereas marked improvement rate 39.29% and failure rate 17.86% in PS group. The declined levels of IL-6 in synovial fluid was notably greater in HA group than those in PS group. CONCLUSIONIntra-articular injection of HA is effective and safe to treat TMJ degenerative disorders with mild adverse reactions, better in terms of effective rate and declined level of IL-6 than PS.
Objective To explore effective substances and methods for prevention of peridural adhesion. Methods Laminectomy was performed on the 5th lumbar segment in 64 rabbits, which were equally divided into 4 groups. The duramater (12 mm×6 mm) was exposed. The exposed duramater was left uncovered in Group A; the exposed dura mater was covered with sodium hyaluronate jel (high molecular weight, 1 ml) in Group B; the lamina repair was performed with the autologous spinous process in Group C; the lamina repair was performed with the sodium hyaluronate jel filling and the autologous spinousprocess in Group D. The specimens were observed grossly and histologically at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks postoperatively. The computed imaging analysis on the epidural adhesion was also performed at 6 weeks postoperatively. Results ①The gross anatomical evaluation: Severe peridural adhesion was formed in Group A, less adhesion formed in Groups B and C, but no obvious adhesion formed in Group D. ②The area percentage of the epidural scar: The area percentage ofthe epidural scar was 15.89%±1.88% and 13.94%±1.89% in Groups C and D respectively, which were significantly lower than those in Groups A and B (22.66%±2.89% and 20.70%±2.82%,Plt;0.05). ③The density of epidural scar: Thedensity of the epidural scars were 42.03%±7.36% and 36.50%±9.08% in Groups B and D, which were significantly lower than those in Groups A and C (63.73%±6.06% and 52.11%±4.10%，Plt;0.05). Conclusion The high molecular weight sodium hyaluronate jel filling combined with the lamina repair using the autologous spinous process has the best preventive effect on the peridural adhesion after laminectomy.